Whether you are teacher who wants to make some extra money teaching at home, or a parent who wishes to home school their child, you will need to think about your classroom layout. It might surprise you to learn that the environment is a critical aspect of effective classroom learning, and with that in mind, here are a few essential aspects of classroom layout that you should take into account when designing your learning space.
- Learning Resources – These would, of course, depend on the age of the students, and there should be adequate learning resources for the number of students, with games, toys and, of course, lots of books. Very young children learn though play, so you should have some wooden blocks, a tub of clay and painting equipment, and if you delegate the corners as the locations for learning resources, this is the best design.
- Classroom Layout – There are actually online suppliers of school equipment who offer site visitors a service that empowers you to create your very own classroom design plan, which is a great tool to have. The ideal learning environment would have adequate space for the students to sit in a circle on the floor, which is a very good way to interact and learn.
- Whiteboard – You should have a large whiteboard that can clearly be seen from all perspectives within the room, and if you purchase a whiteboard that is on wheels, you can move it around, according to the light. A blackboard would suffice, as you do need a surface on which to write and draw, and, of course, the whiteboard is erasable.
- Colours – Avoid bright colours, as they can be distractive to the students – soft, pastel colours are ideal for the walls, and the majority of wall space would be taken up by pinning student work. Neutral greens and browns are also ideal colours for the classroom walls, and if you would like some inspiration, Google images will be of some help.
- Seating – If the children are seated in rows, as in a traditional classroom, then there should be adequate space between the students, and an overcrowded room will not be ideal for learning to occur. If the students have chairs with flaps that serve as desks, then a semi-circle if the best shape, as this allows all of the students to focus on the teacher.
- Space – You must have enough open space for floor activities and if the room is not big enough, you might have to move some chairs to give you more space. If a classroom is too small, it will be difficult to create a good learning environment, so make sure you have suitable space to engage in activities.
We should also consider exterior noise, which can impede learning, so make sure the room is not subject to loud exterior noise. With a combination of lighting and a suitable temperature, your classroom should give you everything you need to teach effectively, helping your students to get the most out of the learning experience.
